RESEARCH PROBLEMS
Identification and Formulation
RESEARCH GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Aims and Objectives
Goals and Objectives
• Should be closely related to your research
problem
• Connected to your research problem
Goals
• Are the large statement of what you want to
accomplish.
• They create the setting for what you are
proposing
• The main problem of what you are going to do
• Usually they are not very measurable
• Break down a general objective into smaller,
logically connected parts
Objectives
• Clear statement of something that needs to be
accomplished over a period of time.
• Objectives are operational
• They tell specific things you will be
accomplishing in your project
• They form the basis for the project activities
Objectives … sub problems
• Break down the research problems into
smaller problems
• Ask yourself;
What are they?
Are they stated?
Do they form part of the main problem?
Why objectives
• Focus on the study (narrowing it down)
• Avoid collection of data which are not
necessary
• Organize the study in clearly defined
parts/phases
Objectives
• A researcher needs a clear picture of the
expected results
• The more specific your objectives are, the
easier it will be to demonstrate success/failure
• The best way develop well written objectives
is to use SMART approach
• Objectives make research questions
SMART
• Mnemonic used to set objectives - Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• S – Specific
• M – Measurable
• A – Attainable
• R – Relevant
• T – Time bound
Specific
• States exactly what you are going/expected to
achieve
• The objectives should be clear and
unambiguous,
(without
vagaries
and
platitudes)
• Use action verbs to describe what has to be
done
• Specific actions that will result from the
project
Specific
• What do you think?
Are your research goals specific?
Measurable
• Ability to count or otherwise quantify an
activity or its results
• Is it quantifiable and can we measure it?
• A measurable objective helps to know if there
is progress or not
• Objectives should include a quantity and/or
quality reference so that you can measure
whether or not you have achieved them
Measurable
• What do you think?
Are your research goals measurable?
How are you going to measure them?
Attainable
• Objectives should be achievable and
actionable
• The objective should not be extreme
below/high
• Can we get it done in the proposed time
frame with the resources and support we
have?
Attainable
• What do you think
Are your objectives achievable?
Realistic
• Result oriented and relevant
• Relevant relates to the relationship between
the objective and the overall goal of the
project
• Should be worthwhile, should matter
• Objectives should be challenging but
achievable
Realistic
• What do you think
Will this objective have an effect on the
desired goal?
Time bound
• With a clear end date or time scale
• When will this objective be accomplished?
• Reasonable time frame should be
incorporated when setting the objectives
Time bound
• What do you think
Do you have enough time to accomplish your
goal?
Aims and Objectives
• Be presented concisely and briefly
• Be interrelated
• Be realistic about what you can accomplish in
the given time
• Remember at the conclusion of your project
you have assess whether or not you have met
your goal/objectives
THANK YOU